stevesheriw
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stevesheriw's Stats
stevesheriw's Stats
- 4.8Average Rating
- 1,102Helpfulness Votes
- 1Featured Reviews
- 83Review Count
- September 3, 2012First Review
- January 1, 2019Last Review
Fire Brigade
Fire Brigade
Posted:October 11, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Get it now
" I put this together over a couple of days with my kids watching. Once completed, this model is indeed impressive. If you buy this, no other fire station in the City line will even compare to the details. Although it is the oldest modular currently for sale, it looks great and there are some interesting building methods in the instructions. I would like to try some techniques learned here on future creations. There are lots of greys and dark reds included. Also, a lot of rare pieces such as the grey frogs, golden fire helmets, and others.
There are four minifigures. Three are firefighters and one is a female visitor of some type. They have hair pieces if you choose not to mount the three silver fire helmets on the heads. Also, there is a brown dog. This set came out before the dalmation did, so the exclusion of that piece is understandable. However, the upcoming City Advent Calendar will provide the dalmation.
The first build is a small old fashioned fire truck. It is interesting and complements the set well.
The main build contains two interior levels and the roof. There is a garage door that can be raised and lowered. The large doors in the back are also quite useful. I liked the way how a brick effect was created in building this. A lot of accessories such as tools are included. There are also some nice microbuilds such as the refrigerator and the ping pong table. The bell also has an interesting design. The most challenging part of the build was the assembly of the "1932" near the top. It was a clever design and might require some patience to get it straight and even once it is mounted to the roof.
There are newer modulars for sale, and many are considered to be even more detailed and amazing. While the Fire Brigade might not be the best and favorite of this series, it is really a nice build. Buying it now is recommended, because with the Parisian Restaurant on the way, this will likely be retired before long. This is the type of set which may not be the most popular in the series, but it is one you would regret not having as part of your collection. I am really glad Lego kept this one for sale so we could have a chance to build it.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.
Thanksgiving Feast
Thanksgiving Feast
Posted:October 10, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
Nice holiday display
" I bought this set to perhaps augment my town setup and use in various places. The 2 minifigures, cats, and several food items seems to make it a good value. Also, this is a cheap way to get the whole turkey, which I do not think has been featured in a Thanksgiving set before. It can also be used for Christmas, as a big meal usually happens there as well. It is very simple and can be used as a stand alone set or with other builds.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+4points
5of 6found this review helpful.
Palace Cinema
Palace Cinema
Posted:September 10, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Hollywood meets small town
" I finally finished building my first modular, and it certainly makes me want to try some more in the series. Palace Cinema is well designed, and has some very nice details.
Overall, this certainly gives a nod to the glamor of film. The roof mimics the famous Chinese Theater in Hollywood. The sidewalk even has a walk of fame with printed star tiles. The minifigure setup along with the limousine, spotlights, and railing is meant to set up the arrival of a movie star to the big premier, which is another Hollywood tradition.
The minifigures include two moviegoers, one male and one female. There is one cinema worker in addition to the child star and her limousine driver. A photographer is also on hand to complete the experience of welcoming the star of the show.
Of course the real star is the building itself. It is quite colorful with tans, golds, and reds on the exterior. A large red baseplate is included. This gives you the "red carpet" experience. There are two main floors plus the roof. The first floor contains a lobby with the snack bar, the ticketing area, and a staircase to the second floor. The screening room itself contains six seats, a projector on a stand with another seat, and the screen itself. Another stairway leads to the roof. The interior has some nice details such as lights, the projector, the cotton candy dispenser, and the popcorn setup. My favorite detail is the large marquee sign with the "Palace" formed by bricks. Many old theaters employ this type of sign, and it was designed very well. Many transparent pieces, mostly yellow, are used to create the effect of lighting on the outside. Another nice detail is the roof, which contains round 1x1's to create a Spanish tile effect.
There are few flaws with this set. Some would say that windows are not appropriate in the viewing room. Technically I would agree, but they do make the exterior look good. Even if a theater had windows, it would likely have thick curtains in front of them. The only modification I made to this set was to add gold pearl lattice panes to the upper windows, because I thought they looked a bit empty without glass. There are some stickers in the set, but I figured this would be unavoidable when you consider where they are placed. Movie posters could not be brick built. The other stickers are on the marquee sign and on the screen itself.
The car itself is OK, it is basically a convertible limousine. It goes along with the arrival of the child star theme the set presents.
Overall, I can easily recommend this set to someone who wants to try a modular. This certainly makes me want to buy more buildings to enhance the town. This certainly stands out to me as one of the best sets of 2013 along with the Tower of Orthanc.
One other thing: Since I bought this in September, I also received a sticker for the Lego Movie poster. It can be used in place of one of the three poster pairs included in the set. I must mention,if you get the sticker and want to use it, you either have to make your poster window one sided, or mix it with another poster since it comes as a single sticker instead of a pair. The poster stickers are essentially meant to be mounted onto a window pane on both sides. This results in one poster showing in the lobby, while the other one faces the outside.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
0points
1of 2found this review helpful.
Constitution Train Chase
Constitution Train Chase
Posted:September 8, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Very nice Western set
" I originally planned to buy the Horizon Express or the City Passenger Train and share the building and playing experience with my 5 year old son, who is very much into trains right now.
We went to the Lego store and looked at other trains, but I noticed that this train was not only interesting and playable, but it came with tracks. I confess to have yet to see the Lone Ranger movie. Nevertheless, buying this train seemed like a great way to start my son in this type of build.
Seven minifigures are included. Of course, you have the Lone Ranger with two revolvers as well as his law badge printing. The famous mask is also printed on the head. His trusted horse Silver is also in the set. There is the option to include the saddle or just use a white brick to fill in the empty slot on the horse. Tonto is also included. He carries what appears to be a watch and a shovel. An interesting crow is mounted on his head. You have the outlaw Butch Cavendish. The hat and hair are on the same piece. His facial expression definitely gives him away as an outlaw. Next is the boy Danny Reid. He comes with a slingshot printed on a 1x2 tile. His mom, Rebecca Reid has nice printing on the dress as well as torso piece. Another outlaw, Latham Cole, has a nice bowler hat and comes with a rather large rifle. Last is Captain J Fuller, a US Army officer. Anyone who is trying to build a Federal army from this time period will love this minifigure. It makes me want to get the small Cavalry Builder set to give him some troops to command.
The train consists of four parts. The locomotive is well designed. It gives a good appearance of an old fashioned transcontinental train. I liked the attention to detail such as the bell and the front headlight build. The coal car is nice as well. The hidden compartment is good for playability. The next car contains a gatling gun which also have playability. It can be turned to rotate the barrel. I think the design was also clever. Some silver bars and crystals are also mounted onto this car. The last car contains a prison cell and is designed like a boxcar. The doors slide open. The back has a play feature where it can be "blown off" with a lever. All of the cars are connected by magnet, which hold strongly.
The two accessory builds are the water tower and a rock feature. The water tower can be turned over with a handle to simulate a dynamite explosion. The rock feature is designed to come apart as well with a lever. Dynamite sticks are found with the tower, the rock, and the back of the prison car.
The set is certainly impressive, and I think the train itself will be the big sell regardless of how well the movie is doing. Many people will appreciate having a western train with some legendary characters. My boys absolutely love the set. Eventually, I would like to get a Lego train and motorize it. One advantage of buying this set is now I have track to help us get started. Needless to say, this set has a lot going for it.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+3points
3of 3found this review helpful.
Forest Ambush
Forest Ambush
Posted:August 8, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
Good intro to castle
" With a price as low as it is, this is a great item to buy as a starter set or to enhance other castle sets.
The main feature is the four minifigures. It is not common to get this many figures for this price. There are two good guys and two bad guys. They are very colorful in the blue/silver and red/black schemes. Each figure is unique in expression, armor, and weapons, so it is easy to mix and match. There is also a small dog. The small builds include a treasure cart and an apple tree. Apparently, the good guys have the treasure cart, and the bad guys are attempting to take the treasure by blocking the road with a fallen tree so they can stage the ambush. There is a functional piece to allow the tree to fall. Flick fire missiles also accompany the setup.
Besides the figures, I was impressed with the amount of treasure in the chest. You actually have to arrange it just right to be able to close the box. This theme contains treasure in almost every set, and this one will certainly boost a treasure hoard. I can certainly recommend this for both minifigs and interesting parts.
It would also make a good gift if your child is invited to a birthday party for someone who likes Lego or the medieval theme.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
2of 3found this review helpful.
Dragon Mountain
Dragon Mountain
Posted:August 6, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
It's All About the Dragon
" I bought this set for the kids, because there is a lot for them to do with the features included. In one set, you have several crucial elements of good castle and fantasy playability. You have the fierce beast, evil wizard, princess who needs to be rescued, a small fortress, treasure, a large catapult, and good and bad soldiers (including the brave knight with armor).
The minifigure selection is good. You have two Lion soldiers, one being the knight. They have a sword, shield, and spear among them. I really like the metallic helmet rather than just a gray color. The bad guy soldier comes with an interesting helmet and a large sword. Then there is the evil wizard with a unique hat to complement his outfit. He also has an nice staff, which you build. Finally, you have the princess with a small crown and two different faces. All of the minifigures are quite colorful compared to some themes. The boys really seem to enjoy them.
The star of the set is of course the dragon. It is fairly large once put together. The wings can move along with the mouth and arms and legs. It is quite posable and is made from several pieces. A good chunk of the value of the set is in the dragon.
A small fortress is also included. It has several small chambers. Most of these little rooms can only accommodate one minifigure. The setup with the cheese and goblet on one side with the rat outside is a bit amusing. Spiral steps lead up to the small prison chamber. Above that is a small room with a mysterious red crystal, and above that is the top, where a minifigure can stand. Another section includes a small potion room hidden by a spider web. Above this is the platform where the dragon can be mounted. A bridge with a small catapult connects the two larger sections.
This is likely going to be one of the more popular sets in this line, because only here can you get the dragon and the wizard. You have lots of interesting elements such as the treasure, crystal, and weapons. There are certainly a lot of scenarios which children can act out in this set. Combined with other sets, there are even more possibilities. This has been an instant hit with the kids.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+4points
7of 10found this review helpful.
Battle at the Black Gate
Battle at the Black Gate
Posted:July 27, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
4
/
5
Black Gate of Mordor
" We bought this set to complete the LOTR collection. All of this wave's sets seem to present something that would make the set desirable to purchase. In the case of the Black Gate, the minifigs, the eagle, and several elements of the gate itself is the strength of this set.
Five minifigures are included. You get two orcs, one has a helmet, and one is bald. The weapons are a flail and a jagged sword. You get Gandalf the White, only appearing in this set so far. At first glance, he does indeed look like Saruman, but there are differences at a closer look. Aragorn is presented in this set in Minas Tirith attire. Finally, we get the White Tree of Gondor logo on a torso, and Lego did a great job here. Then, you get the Mouth of Sauron, who has several unique elements in the face, helmet, and the body design. By the way, he did only appear in the extended version, as I had to find one to watch the scene with him. The Mouth also has a horse, which is the same one used by the ringwraiths. I think all minifigures appear great, and again this will convince many to buy the set. An eagle also comes in the set. The wings are movable. A minifigure (preferably without cape) can be mounted on the eagle.
The gate itself is made up mainly of blacks, browns, and greys. Some accessories are included such as weapons. The gate itself can be held shut by a latch. The set includes one tower featuring a secret entrance controlled by a lever. Mounted at the top is a catapult which can be rotated as desired. Along the gate itself, there is space to place several minifigures, especially if you move some of the accessories. I liked the design of the gate and tower, as it has some nice detail to it.
One will note that only one tower is included in the set even though the black gate in the movie has flanking towers on both sides. Lego acknowledges this by showing how two of these sets can be combined in the instruction booklet. There are some advantages and disadvantages to this. If you buy two, you of course have more orcs and another horse and eagle, which is good. Of course you might not need an extra Gandalf, Aragorn, or Mouth. You also end up with two sets of opening gates rather than just one. Having two sets would also get you two extra rock formation builds that would not be used. I would venture to say that you could probably reconfigure the set to make one single large gate, but it will be up to you to figure how that could work. Personally, I think it would look better with the two flanking towers, so I am leaning towards getting another set.
I would certainly recommend this to a Lord of the Rings Lego fan. At the very least, how would you turn down King Aragorn, Gandalf the White, and the Mouth of Sauron?
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+1point
1of 1found this review helpful.
The Tower of Orthanc™
The Tower of Orthanc™
Posted:July 15, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
The one to get
" When news of the Orthanc release came out, I started saving immediately. Needless to say, the set does not disappoint.
There are five characters in the set:
Saruman: Same as in Wizard Battle, except a white slope piece with a printed robe can be used in place of white movable legs
Gandalf: Same also in Wizard Battle, also has hair as well as a cape
Pitmaster orc: mainly a generic orc, except he has a grappling hook which can allow some good play value
Uruk hai: has the same printed armor as in the Orc Forge. Should be a good addition to a small army
Grima Wormtongue: Exclusive to the set. His troubled face is interesting, but so is the torso. It looks like he has the One Ring on a chain around his neck. I can see some using this torso for a modified Frodo or even Isildur.
Great Eagle: Not too big, but big enough for a minifig to be mounted on it. Might want to remove capes first.
Ent: The ent is great in detail and movable feature. You can pose it really well. is it Treebeard? It is up for you to decide. I figure if they never release another ent, then it is Treebeard. If another set with him does come out, then this is not Treebeard. There are a couple of places where you could mount a couple of hobbits on it (Merry and Pippin).
Saruman: Same as in Wizard Battle, except a white slope piece with a printed robe can be used in place of white movable legs
Gandalf: Same also in Wizard Battle, also has hair as well as a cape
Pitmaster orc: mainly a generic orc, except he has a grappling hook which can allow some good play value
Uruk hai: has the same printed armor as in the Orc Forge. Should be a good addition to a small army
Grima Wormtongue: Exclusive to the set. His troubled face is interesting, but so is the torso. It looks like he has the One Ring on a chain around his neck. I can see some using this torso for a modified Frodo or even Isildur.
Great Eagle: Not too big, but big enough for a minifig to be mounted on it. Might want to remove capes first.
Ent: The ent is great in detail and movable feature. You can pose it really well. is it Treebeard? It is up for you to decide. I figure if they never release another ent, then it is Treebeard. If another set with him does come out, then this is not Treebeard. There are a couple of places where you could mount a couple of hobbits on it (Merry and Pippin).
On to the build, it takes bags numbered 1 to 15 to make the set. 1 and 2 build the ent. There are two #3 and #5 bags. You build from the bottom up.
Dungeon: Has some stickers for detail in addition to other pieces. I would have preferred this be a storeroom with food for Merry and Pippin to raid and save the dungeon for Barad Dur, but this is OK.
Entrance: Banners have White Hand stickers for detail. The door from the outside is also here. A small light hangs from the ceiling.
Palantir room: This recreates the Wizard Battle set with a few differences. The throne does not launch its occupant, nor does the floor have a spinning feature. The palantir is also different. It is a detachable hollow globe piece with the size and look of a green and black marble. I like how it is detachable, allowing the possibility of a minifig holding it (Pippin?). The room also has a balcony to the outside to recreate the scene where Saruman is reviewing his army.
Next is a laboratory of sorts with a movable cauldron to recreate the scene where the Helms Deep bomb is made. There are potions and other features to add to the scene. The bomb itself is also there and is just like the one in the Helms Deep set.
Next is the library with some nicely detailed sticker books as well as the portraits of the five wizards. The Eye of Sauron book is mounted on a display similar to Bilbo's book in Bag End.
Then, there is an attic type room that is reached by a folding ladder. This contains Saruman's dirty secrets such as two keys, an Eye of Sauron banner, and wizard staffs.
The top of the tower has room to mount minifigs on it.
There is a lot of detail on the exterior of the tower. Many people were worried that it would just be a lot of black pieces and not much detail. There are indeed a lot of blacks, but a lot of time was taken to give the tower a very detailed texture. It is good enough to be a model.
Orthanc is a good balance between a playset and a display set. You could use it either way or both ways. Therefore, it is good for most ages, although it may not be best for younger children. Make sure they have an appreciation for taking care of Lego pieces before getting them this. Definitely, this is ideal for collectors and those who like the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I hope the tower is highly successful. Then perhaps we could see a Minas Tirith. Overall, a must have.
"
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I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+42points
54of 66found this review helpful.
Riddles for the Ring
Riddles for the Ring
Posted:July 11, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Good starter set
" Although this set is small, it has some nice elements which should make it appealing. Riddles for the Ring is based on one of the most important scenes in the movie. This is the least expensive way to get Bilbo, Gollum, and the One Ring. Bilbo also comes with his trusty Sting. The Gollum in this set is very similar to the one found in the Shelob Attacks set with just a slightly different facial expression.
Besides the two desirable minifigures, there are two small builds to give a sense of the gloomy cavern. One is Gollum's boat, complete with some bones. The other is a section of the grey cave. There are several slope pieces which help make it up. The cave can be opened up and a knob feature turned to reveal the ring.
The set is certainly basic, but for those with a limited budget and an interest in the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings, this would be a very good set to start with. The value is certainly good for the parts and minifigures presented.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
5
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+3points
3of 3found this review helpful.
The Wizard Battle
The Wizard Battle
Posted:June 26, 2013
stevesheriw
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Overall:
5
/
5
Good minifigs and parts
" This set is the smallest of the new LOTR sets, but has some desirable elements included.
Gandalf and Saruman are the two minifigures included. Gandalf is presented with hair instead of his hat. Otherwise, he is basically the same as in prior sets. Saruman comes with a white cape, a rubbery beard and hair piece combined into one, and a nice design for his wizard staff. The build is quick and easy. It includes a platform with a throne, two lamps, and a palantir setup. The throne has a nice feature which can eject anyone sitting in it. The palantir has a spinning function, and has enough room to place a minifig so it can spin along with the globe.
The value of the set seems good with the two figures as well as some nice pieces. The globe pieces are more uncommon, and you get a unique Eye of Sauron piece that fits inside the globe to complete the palantir. As of this review, this is the only set where you can get this piece. Even the large Orthanc set does not have it. Therefore, if you are planning on buying the larger set, you may still want to get the set to acquire the eye. I plan on switching palantirs with the larger set (once I get it). It would be interesting to see what that Eye piece looks like with a light brick under it.
The set is affordable enough that even a casual fan of the trilogy would enjoy the setup and play features.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From: Fort Worth
State:
Texas
From:
United States
Age:
35-44
years old
Customer Type:
LEGO Parent
Building Experience:
Advanced LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional):
4
/
5
Value for Money (Optional):
5
/
5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share:
+6points
6of 6found this review helpful.